Sunday, March 24, 2013

A Step in the Write Direction--March 25, 2013

Step in the Write Direction

March 25, 2013

(A little longer than usual;
sorry!)

Update:

It’s been a crazy, tiring week.
After my husband (Gary) was admitted to the hospital last Sunday for a high
potassium level, they discovered he had a bacterial infection in the colon
called—for short—C Diff. They put him in isolation and we had to wear gowns,
gloves, etc. He came home Tuesday, but will be on the antibiotic Vancomycin for
the next two weeks…In the meantime, they said the diuretic he was on for
congestive heart failure—spiralactone—caused the high potassium, so they took
him off that. Within the next few days he gained eight pounds, his stomach is
bloated, and his ankles and right leg are swollen, so we’ll find out tomorrow
what they’ll do for that…

Also, they said the C Diff was
caused by the antibiotic Augmentin which he’s taken for 13 years. (He had
osteomyelitis in his foot years ago and they had set an appointment to amputate,
then it got better, but as soon as he went off the Augmentin, it came back, so
the infectious disease specialist told him to stay on it for the rest of his
life.) His primary care doctor told him Friday that when he finishes the
Vancomycin, he could go back on the Augmentin…

As if that weren’t enough,
Monday, April 1, he has an echocardiogram to check on the blood clots in the
heart they found last September (he’s on Coumadin for that); will find out the
results on April 15, then on April 22, he’ll have surgery to replace his second
defibrillator which hasn’t even lasted two years. Complication from that:
Normally they would just unscrew the lead wires, take out the old device, put in
the new one, then rescrew the lead wires, BUT two of the three lead wires are
bad and will have to be replaced. Unfortunately, one of the bad ones is the
third one which requires a different surgery and a different surgeon. So he’ll
be released after the first surgery, recuperate, and then go back for the second
surgery. Added to all this is the fact he’s a diabetic. (Won’t even go into the
other 12 diseases he has!) So—as you can guess, we really appreciate your
prayers!

I’m supposed to go to Amarillo April 12 to teach
at a conference on the 13th, so will have to let them know within the
next couple of days if I can still make it.

Thought
for the Day:

“If my life is fruitless, it
doesn’t matter who praises me and if my life if fruitful, it doesn’t matter who
criticizes me” (John Bunyan, quoted in The Purpose-Driven Life, Rick Warren).

To go along with this, an unknown
person said, “Never let others’ compliments go to your head or their criticisms
go to your heart.”

Laugh for
the Day:

From a woman in New Hampshire: “I feel
like my body has gotten totally out of shape, so this year, I decided to join a
fitness club and start exercising. I signed up for an aerobics class for
seniors. I bent, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour…but by
the time I got my leotard on, the class was over.”

Writer’s
Tips: (organization, continued)

Supplies

After purchasing
necessary equipment such as a computer, printer, and desk, below is a list of
other supplies to keep on hand.

Tape recorder—tapes and
batteries if you’re not using digital recorder

Camera, film, batteries,
memory cards

Index
cards

Rubber
bands

Postage, postage scale
(but anything over 13 ounces has to be mailed at a post
office)

Legal/steno/scratch
pads

File
folders

Telephone message
pads

Business card
holder

Telephone/address/Internet
address book

A “Do not disturb/Writer
at work” sign (unless they bring chocolate!)

Use this list to keep
track of your writing expenses. As a writer, you are considered self-employed
and will have to file a Schedule C. All of your writing and speaking income will
be taxable; however, your business expenses are deductible as well. You may want
to purchase two sets of supplies: one for the family and one for your
office.

About Me

Donna Clark Goodrich, freelance writer, editor, and speaker is a wife, mother of three and grandmother of two. A native of Jackson, Michigan, she has lived in Mesa, Arizona, since 1969. She enjoys teaching at Christian writers conferences. Author of 23 books and over 700 published manuscripts, Donna says, “I write devotional and self-help books to encourage Christians in their daily walk with God, how-to books to train writers, biographies to tell other people's stories, short stories and poetry for readers' enjoyment, and personal experience articles to share how God has helped me through life situations.”
dgood648@aol.com; www.thewritersfriend.net